I've thinking about working up rules for this kind of thing, but they seem to be hard to balance, not to mention that most of the traditional support powers are either useless (like revealing the fog of war) or would be better served by using the points to just build a weapon to do it (like using an on field artillery gun in place of an artillery support power). Though if a single vehicle/unit/structure can call in multiple powers, that versatility might be worth the points. The key issue I see between CnC and Brikwars is that it would be much harder to counter the use of these powers, and given the short length of brikwars battles, the use of those powers would be disproportionately powerful compared to how they work in longer CnC matchs.

Also, If I didn't point out that Generals powers were only in 'CnC' Generals, and that the term used in the rest of the series is "support powers", I'd have to turn in my CnC fan card.

It's probably one of those elements of the game that Mike will never add in (difficulty of balancing the weapon, plus the lack of awesome and story telling potential that "Cheese from Above" has in a game where all splosions are imaginary.)

Nothing stops anyone from making home rules about them, though, here are my preferences for them: Preset number of times you can call in the support/whatever, pre determined content of the strike (How many shells/paratroopers/teleporting Piltogg zombies), and pattern of the strike (what shape shells/bombs/Zeus's lightning bolts fall in).

One thing I'd like to brainstorm on is how to implement airstrikes that don't use plastic bases (I.e. either a system of super fast 1-turn airstrikes or a system that uses less parts and eats up less space than a baseplate for a giant gunship or air superiority fighter).

AZKAMAT wrote:It's probably one of those elements of the game that Mike will never add in (difficulty of balancing the weapon, plus the lack of awesome and story telling potential that "Cheese from Above" has in a game where all splosions are imaginary.)

We had cheese from above in earlier editions. The catch was that they had a high Use rating and any missed shot inches were multiplied x4, making them extra funny. So they were kind of like off-map Launchers on steroids.

Having given it some thought, I've come up with a few ways that setting up a support power would be more effective than building an on-field system.

6. Giving units abilities that they normally couldn't, or are so situational that it would be cheaper to give to them at one point via power rather than buying them all with it. EX: the classic Nod wide area stealth field, giving a blasting to the handful of commandos who fight their way to the bunker door, rather than to the whole squad or to only one guy who would then have to be protected.

7. Reinforcement. Most battles I play have reserve units enter from their player's side of the battlefield. Using support powers, you could pay a little more to have them teleport in, or arrive via drop pod, etc, trading CP for tactical advantages.

8. Something that can't neatly be handled via SN dice. For example, you could use SN dice to permanently mind control a squad of your enemies men (and, indeed, should do so at least once. The expression on their face when you seize control of their hero's bodyguard squad is priceless), but stating out a "double agent" support power might be more thematic or cheaper. As could setting up a missile jamming field, or a teleport denial shield, or any number of other effect that are tricky to set up via SN dice.

stubby wrote:We had cheese from above in earlier editions. The catch was that they had a high Use rating and any missed shot inches were multiplied x4, making them extra funny. So they were kind of like off-map Launchers on steroids.

"Lord Vader, we need to you stop bisecting those rebel scum with your lightsaber and talk on this walkie-talkie with fleet command."

You know I actually did devise a system of rules for spotting targets and relaying them to friendlies. Can I start a discussion thread about them in "The Rulebook" section or should I just stick to Bonus Material?

AZKAMAT wrote:"Lord Vader, we need to you stop bisecting those rebel scum with your lightsaber and talk on this walkie-talkie with fleet command."

Sounds good to me, why not?

AZKAMAT wrote:You know I actually did devise a system of rules for spotting targets and relaying them to friendlies. Can I start a discussion thread about them in "The Rulebook" section or should I just stick to Bonus Material?

AZKAMAT wrote:"Lord Vader, we need to you stop bisecting those rebel scum with your lightsaber and talk on this walkie-talkie with fleet command."

Sounds good to me, why not?

We have that already, it's Scouts.

The implication I intended was that heroes (with presumably the highest skill in most games) would be distracted from feats of ossum to do something rather mundane (being the RTO guy). But nevermind.

Oh yeah, I forgot about that thing with the Scout. *hasn't read 2010 in about a year, goes and reviews it now* Oh, that's how that works. The one I devised uses spotting tools (binocs, pirate telescope, those tech-optic thingies in a lot of SW boxes) in combination with radios to relay enemy positions to other units, ideally inaccurate and far-away launchers. Tomorrow if I have time I'll write a full description of them in their own thread in this section.

I kinda like the idea of using scouts to spot for long range artillery, since that's A) in line with how real artillery works, and B) gives your opponent a fair shot at forestalling incoming artillery by knocking out the forward observer. That last bit is really important for me, since my artillery weapons would probably be beating worthy if not for that aspect.

Battlegrinder wrote:The key issue I see between CnC and Brikwars is that it would be much harder to counter the use of these powers, and given the short length of brikwars battles, the use of those powers would be disproportionately powerful compared to how they work in longer CnC matchs.

If support powers were to be used, then they would likely only be able to be used once or twice in the end game. I've had plenty of short Age of Empire 3 or Generals games where I got to use only one or two support powers. I've used to support powers for the final push to wipe out my opponent, turn tide of battle where I was losing, and end a stalemate.

Battlegrinder wrote:Also, If I didn't point out that Generals powers were only in 'CnC' Generals, and that the term used in the rest of the series is "support powers", I'd have to turn in my CnC fan card.

Age of Empires 3 also had something similar to support powers; they were called home city shipments or home city cards. With AoE3 though, you can bring in reinforcements of a squad of specialty units, give special abilities to the hero or certain units. AoE3 and Generals both required that experience be gained before a "support power" can be used.